Apparatus for furling sails on sail boats

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a driving device for sails on a boat and comprises a worm gear acting between the driving device and a sail furling stay and/or sail furling shaft on the mast. In order, amongst other things, to obtain a compact driving unit, and thus to reduce the space requirements on board the boat in question, the driving device is accommodated internally within a space in the worm gear, inside its worm gear screw, with the driving device arranged coaxially with the screw.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a driving device forsails on a boat and comprises a worm gear acting between the drivingdevice and a sail furling stay and/or a sail furling shaft on the mast.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In previously disclosed driving arrangements for the mechanical furlingand unfurling of sails on boats, the arrangement is bulky because it isattached either longitudinally to the driving device, i.e. in such a waythat an hydraulically or electrically powered motor, for example, isconnected to the screw of a worm gear at one end, or laterally becauseof drive motors and worm gear screws arranged in parallel with oneanother at the transmission device. The presence of such projectingparts close to the mast and/or stays on boats has been found to be amajor disadvantage, since they have often presented the risk of injuryto crew members as they pass by. The mass of the arrangement can also beconsiderable.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,511 shows a boom turning device comprising a wormgear mechanism in which a crank hole in a worm screw is intended toaccommodate the end of a crank for driving the arrangement when turningthe sails, whilst GB A 2,226,800 shows a sail driving arrangement which,likewise with a driving unit in the form of an electric motor, isaccommodated with one part in a worm gear screw, more specifically inthe gear casing.

The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the firstinstance, to make available a solution to this problem using simple andeffectively functioning means.

Said object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance withthe present invention, which is characterized essentially in that thedriving device, which consists of an hydraulic motor, is capable ofbeing accommodated with at least one part in an internal space in thescrew of the worm gear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described below as a preferred illustrative embodiment,in conjunction with which reference is made to the drawings, in which

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate schematically examples of a previouslydisclosed driving arrangement for a foresail, shown respectively fromthe side and from above;

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically an example of a driving arrangement inaccordance with the present invention on the mast of a boat, shownlooking across the longitudinal sense of the mast;

FIG. 4 shows the basic arrangement in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 5-6 show side views of drive arrangements in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectioned view of the driving arrangement,essentially along the line VII--VII in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 8 shows a sectioned view along the line VIII--VIII in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An arrangement 1 for a driving device 2 for sails 3, 4 on a boat 5comprising a worm gear 6, which is intended and so arranged as to becapable of acting between the intended driving device 2 and an intendedsail furling shaft, more specifically a sail furling stay 7 and/or asail furling shaft 8 on a mast 9, has said driving device 2 so arrangedas to be capable of being accommodated internally within said worm gear6.

The driving device, which consists of an hydraulic motor 2, whichexhibits an output drive shaft 10, preferably at its one front end 2A,is so arranged, preferably in its entirety, but at least in some part,as to be accommodated in an internal space 11 within the screw 12 ofsaid worm gear.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings,the driving end 10 of the hydraulic motor with its shaft is capable ofbeing introduced into an internal and preferably transcurrent axiallyextending cavity 13 in said screw 12 in order to interact with a drivetransmission part 14, for example a keyed joint, etc., in the worm gearscrew arranged internally within the cavity 13. In this way torsionalpower transmission moment can be transmitted from the hydraulic motor 2via the drive shaft 10 to the screw 12 at its one end 12A. Retention ofthe hydraulic motor 2 in its intended accommodating space 11 in thescrew 12 can be achieved effectively by the hydraulic motor 2 beingmounted at its rear end 2B, i.e. by the motor 2 being secured, forexample bolted and centralized at said rear end 2B, contrary to what isnormally the case for such hydraulic motors 2, the mounted end of whichaccording to the prior art is at the motor shaft end 2A. A covering part15 is so arranged as to be secured to the hydraulic motor 2, in order toprevent it from rotating when it is actuated. One end 12B of the wormgear screw is open at its end facing away from its drive shaft 10, inorder to permit the motor 2 to be introduced through the opening. Theend wall cover 15 thus functions not only as a mounting flange, but italso replaces the rear wall of the motor. The advantages of this arethat the design is more compact than in previously disclosed designs,and that the connection lines 31, 32 for hydraulic fluid can be routedradially outwards from the motor 2 and the cover 15, which, amongstother things, facilitates the positioning of the motor inside the screw12 in the space 11 provided therein, and permits a small screw diameterto be achieved.

One possible alternative involves arranging a tube externally around themotor inside a screw projecting through the open end of the screw inorder to secure the motor at its front.

This covering part 15 exhibits a number of openings 16, 17 together withtransport channels 18/19 extending as far as the respective opening andpreferably radially into the covering part 15, which transport channelsare so arranged as to supply and carry away hydraulic fluid for thehydraulic motor 2.

Anchoring of the hydraulic motor 2 inside the screw 12 can take place,for example, by means of a screwed connection or in some otherappropriate fashion with means arranged for the purpose.

The end wall cover 15, which can be so arranged as to be capable ofbeing bolted both to the motor 2 and to a frame 60, is so arranged as tobe capable of being guided by a guide ring 20, which is suitably soarranged as to act between said end wall cover 15 and the worm gearscrew 12 in a space 21 outside the motor 2 in a radial sense. Said guidering 20 encloses the rear end 2B of the hydraulic motor 2 and isattached laterally 21 and preferably securely to the essentially flatside 23 of the end wall cover 15. A bearing 24 connected to the wormgear screw 12 acts against said frame 60 internally therein.

As an alternative, a loose guide ring can be so arranged as to beattached around the motor 2 and to interact with the covering part 15for centralizing the motor 2 and guiding the covering part 15. The motor2 is guided in this way in relation to the screw 12 and is secured tothe end wall 15 via the rear end 2B of the motor, which end wall 15 isintegrated into the design of the motor in question.

Externally the worm gear screw 12 exhibits along its front end 12A acollar 26 arranged with a reduced width and adapted for theaccommodation of a bearing 25 thereon, in the area around the internaldrive transmission part 10. The bearing 25 is fixed axially to the screw12 and to the frame 60 in order to be able to absorb axial forces inboth directions. This permits optional sail furling in either aclockwise or an anti-clockwise direction.

The front end 12A of the worm gear screw also extends through a frontcover plate 27, which, like the rear cover plate 15, also exhibits aplane contact part 28, inside which the relevant bearing 25 acts againstthe frame 60. Manual engagement of the sail turning function in possibleemergency situations is permitted through the engagement in a previouslydisclosed fashion of, for example, a crank 29 for the actuation viamanual drive of the worm gear screw 12 via an appropriately shaped crankhandle 30, 30A. By using a valve to switch over the hydraulic lines 31,32 which lead to the hydraulic motor 2 respectively for the supply andreturn of hydraulic fluid to and from the motor 2, and by connecting thelines together, these are connected to form a circuit, and by actuatingthe crank 29 in either direction of rotation 33, 34, hydraulic fluid insaid circuit is allowed to circulate at the same time as the screw 12 isrotated freely in the desired direction of rotation 35, 36.

Normal actuation of the driving device 2 by the supply of hydraulicfluid to the driving device 2, from an hydraulic pump not shown in thedrawings, causes the drive shaft 10 to rotate in either direction ofrotation 35, 36 in order, via a keyed joint 14, to transmit torque tothe screw 12 and its driving screw part 37 which extends along the outerperiphery 12C. Said driving screw part 37 interacts in turn, in apreviously disclosed fashion via a worm gear, with gears 38 which arearranged along the periphery 39 of a worm gear wheel ring gear 40included in the worm gear 6, the gears 38 of which ring gear are incontact with and interact with the driving screw part 37.

The worm gear wheel ring gear 40 is also attached in such a way that itrotates a sail furling shaft 8 on a mast 9 and/or a sail furling stay 7,so that, as said ring 40 is rotated under the driving effect of thehydraulic motor 2 and the screw 12 in either direction 44, 45, the shaft8 / stay 7 is caused to furl in 46 the sail 4, 3 or to unfurl 49 thesail.

In the case of a mast 9, the gear 6 and the associated driving device 2are suitably attached to the lower end 9A of the mast, wherein the wormgear wheel ring 40, the sail furling shaft 8 and the connection 50between same are preferably capable of being accommodated internally ina suitable sail accommodating space 51 extending in the longitudinalsense of the mast so as to permit the sail 4 to extend through aslot-shaped opening 52 which leads between said space 51 and the area 53around the mast 9 at its rear part 54.

In the case of a stay 7, which is intended to function as a furlingshaft for a foresail 3, etc., the arrangement 1 together with itsaccessories are arranged at the lower end 7A of the stay, and the wormgear wheel ring of the worm gear is attached to the stay 7 via asuitable connection.

Such an effectively functioning, compact and simple driving arrangement61 for sails 3, 4 on a boat 5 is achieved thanks to the presentinvention, the function and composition of which will have beenappreciated from the foregoing and from the example shown in thedrawings.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for furling sails on a furling device of aboat, the apparatus comprises: a worm gear having an internal space, theworm gear coupled to the furling device; a driving device for drivingthe worm gear, the driving device at least partially accommodated in theinternal space of the worm gear, wherein the driving device drives theworm gear coupled to the furling device to furl the sail on the furlingdevice.
 2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drivingdevice has a driving end with a shaft coupled to an internal drivetransmission part of the worm gear.
 3. An apparatus in accordance withclaim 2, wherein the worm gear has a reduced width collar foraccommodating a mounting bearing.
 4. An apparatus in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the driving device is a hydraulic motor mounted at arear end thereof.
 5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, furthercomprising a rear end wall cover coupled to the rear end of thehydraulic motor, the end wall cover being mountable to a frame.
 6. Anapparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the end wall coverincludes openings with radial transport channels for providing fluid tothe hydraulic motor.
 7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, furthercomprising a guide ring attached to the rear end wall cover for mountingthe hydraulic motor.
 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, whereinthe guide ring encloses and aligns the rear end of the hydraulic motorand is attached to the end wall cover.
 9. An apparatus in accordancewith claim 1, wherein a front end portion of the worm gear extendsthrough a front cover plate, the front end portion engageable with anexternal auxiliary drive means for driving the worm gear.
 10. Anapparatus accordance with claim 9, wherein the external drive means fordriving the worm gear is a crank.
 11. An apparatus in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the worm gear is open at one end to permit introductionof at least a portion of the driving device in the internal space, thedriving device enclosed by cover plates at respective ends portionswherein the driving device is in coaxial alignment with the worm gear.12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising abearing disposed between the worm gear and a frame to absorb axialforces permitting optional sail furling in either a clockwise or ananti-clockwise direction.
 13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,wherein the furling device is a furling shaft.
 14. An apparatus inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the furling device is a furling stay.